Some Stories You Just Can't Make Up

A German brewing company recently won the right to market F**king Hell Beer after they proved to the European Patent Office that the beer is named for a small village in Austria. According to reports, the name was originally rejected by the Office because the name includes a swear word.

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Brewery spokesman Stefan Fellenberg said: "In German the word for a lager beer is a Helles Beer, so we have also patented the name F**king Hell, which means lager from F**king of course.

"I don't understand why the patents office think of something else. They must have dirty minds."

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According to the Sun, Fellenberg added that if succesful with F**king Hell, then the brewer would open similar breweries in Kissing, Petting, and Piss - all townships in Germany.

Made in America, Named for a Russian

It's taken us a couple of years to get around to Old Rasputin. The North Coast Brewing Company's one off Russian Imperial Stout has caught our eyes since version X. We were tempted but always found a reason to find something else - much to our chagrin. Fortunately, our trusty assistant had enough of our tomfoolery and picked up the 500 ml corked and caged XII anniversary bottle. There's a reason "trusty" is part of her title.

The North Coast Brewing Company ages Old Rasputin in bourbon barrels. Some prefer to pour it into a snifter or fancy after dinner drink glass but we're old school and pour everything into a pint. Old Rasputin pours black - not just dark. The head is rather thick but while it comes down your reminded of a light chocolate mousse. Long term, the head stays thin and chocolate looking - a nice offset against the black of the brew.

This is a somewhat complex beer. We've mentioned chocolate a couple of times for a reason. You will find it in the aroma and in the flavor. However, that's far from the beginning and end of the story. You get a hint of the bourbon in the aroma but it really comes across in the finish of the taste. You might also stumble upon a faint coffee flavor.

Old Rasputin is surprisingly smooth. The carbonation is medium and there is not a lot of bitterness; which is not to say there is no bitterness but there is just enough to offset the sweetness. This is a stout with strong flavor so you would expect it to be heavier but you will go through the 500 ml with surprising ease. At 11.2 percent alcohol it's best served when you're not driving home.

Needless to say we will snap up XIII if our paths cross. We tasted XII after it "aged" at home for about a month. We use the term "aged" loosely but it inspires us to purchase a couple of bottles of XIII - one for immediate consumption and a couple for long-term aging.

Cactus League Highlights - From the Beer's Perspective

One of the more challenging jobs out there must be working as a beer vendor at your local baseball field. Facing the unforgiving elements 81 times a year to make a buck is not our idea of fun. Of course, if the elements are too unforgiving the game is called and you don't make a buck.

Certainly, one cannot be a sports fan and do their job with any diligence. We simply can't see how a sports fan can walk around with a case of cold beer only to sell it to the first overweight, hot dog stuffing, sports maniac with a valid ID. Safe to say if we were beer vendors there would be a lot missing (plastic) bottles and a lot of thirsty Nats fans.

So, in the cactus league gives us an insiders view on the training required for such devilish work. At the Peoria Sports Complex, Suzz Keegan, the park's beverage supervisor, gives us the 411.

"A day in the life of a spring training beer vendor centers on the vending room - a dark, cool cave tucked away off the ballpark's entrance. The evening before the game [Suzz] Keegan and several others pack up 72 cases of assorted beers, which they stack in five refrigerators overnight. Throughout the game, pallets of ice are carted in and scooped on top of the cases; keeping the beer cold is everything. On a good day, the ballpark will go through about 1,300 bottles of beer."

According to the article, Ken Bishoff is a part time vendor and he "climbs 44 steps each time he makes a round, which is 12 to 15 minutes of non-stop movement. The coolers weigh anywhere from 35 to 60 pounds."

Clearly the moral of the story is enjoy the ballpark and tip your vendor well. Play Ball!

*Picture by Cheryl Evans, the Arizona Republic.

Flying Bison Staying in Buffalo; Expanding Operations

This should certainly make your St. Patrick's Day a bit brighter. Today Flying Bison Brewing Company (FBBC) announced they are staying in Buffalo and they are actually expanding operations. As a result of the deal with FX Matt Brewing Company, FBBC will distribute more than they ever have in the past. Tim Herzog said "The only difference the community will see is that our beers will more readily available. Everyone on staff is still with us and there will be a few changes, for the better.”

FBBC will continue to be active in the community supporting events like the Buffalo Brewfest. They will also continue supporting Rusty Chain; which is made in collaboration with Green Options Buffalo, Buffalo Rising, and Buffalo Microparks, to support bicycle parking through out Buffalo.

Mr. Herzog did acknowledge some challenges lie ahead. Shelves will need to be stocked across Western New York and be stocked on a consistent basis. FBBC must also win back taps at local restaurants and pubs - no small task considering the competition for such prime real estate.

The big question is when will the new plan be implemented? No dates have been announced for the beginning of distribution or the arrival of your favorite FBBC brews at the local grocer or watering hole. There is not even a date for the reopening of the FBBC retail store. To all this we say "patience is a virtue".

We look forward to seeing FBBC back on the streets and with a little luck they will use the Matt Urban distribution chain to send some of their beers to our little corner of the country.

Budweiser is Going Green

We routinely rail on Anheuser-Bush InBev (ABIB) for anything negative that might come out of their shop. Sometimes, you have to recognize that the big boys can go a long way to setting positive precedent in the industry. So, today we give a slight tip of our hat to ABIB for announcing its green initiative.

Sure, many micro brewers went green on day 1 and there are many leaders at the micro level when it comes to environmentally friendly operations. ABIB brings scale to the game. A promise to cut water consumption by 30 percent* means a lot when you have 130,000 employees in 30 countries. ABIB boasts that they will save enough water to fill 25,000 Olympic size swimming pools. The ABIB press release states other goals including achieving a 99 percent recycle/reuse rate and a 10 percent reduction in carbon dioxide output.

Of course, there are two sides to every story so ABIB may still be the Evil Empire. The New York Times reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires companies to disclose their environmental risks, including water supply issues. "Water conflicts and risks are already coming to a head in expanding beer and beverage markets in the developing world, regions where 1.1 billion people still lack clean drinking water access and the agriculture sector demands its fare share." For example, China and Brazil are two large growth markets for ABIB and the two countries also have water quality and supply issues.





*30 percent reduction of 2007 water consumption levels.

Nothing Wrong with this Product

Nope, nothing at all.

Beer Raid in Philly

According to reports out of Philly.com, last week Pennsylvania State Troopers raided several Philadelphia bars for offering beers not registered with the state Liquor Control Board (LCB). The average beer drinker may say "so, maybe the bars should have registered the beers." That would be a valid point except it's not up to the local pub or tavern to register the beer.

Turns out the keystone cops confiscated beer from bars that"had bought the beer legally from licensed Pennsylvania distributors and had paid all the necessary taxes".

One bar owner reports that half of the beers seized by the troopers actually are registered with the LCB. Like, for example, Monk's Cafe Sour Flemish Red Ale. "The beer has been sold throughout the state at dozens of restaurants and distributors for the last seven years. The brand appears on the state's online list as 'Monk's Café Ale.'"

A follow up article on Philly.com talks to the politicals. Said State Representative John Taylor: "There are other important things those personnel could be doing. Over the years we've had problems [in bars] with gun sales, prostitution, drug sales, after-hour operations, sales to minors - serious issues of concern to the community. I don't think this is one of them."

Too Sexy for Brazil

Ahhhh, Devassa! Beer maker Grupo Schincario created an advertisement so provocative that even Brazil was offended. After complaints led to three separate investigations, Grupo Schincario decided to pull the ad, which features Paris Hilton sensually moving about her room with a view.

We know what you're thinking but according to reports the advertisement was not offensive for simply featuring a no-talent hack who's famous for being famous. Watchdog group (yep, they exist outside the Beltway) Conar said women in beer commercials are common in Brazil.

"Advertising regulations prohibit the sensual depiction of women in alcohol commercials. 'The problem with the ad isn’t a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature,' Eduardo Correia, a Conar spokesman, told The Associated Press last week."

Paris Hilton as sensual. Kinda gives us the willies.